Following nearly destroying our world, our families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer toward ruin than at any other point in recent history. This transpired when an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Russian nuclear missile sites were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. What followed was nearly two weeks of impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger was obvious. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a cascade of global atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, plunging humanity into total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined extensively, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel dimension into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What was the United States planning?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do individuals detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be friends or else can become complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What is notable regarding this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe nearly in real time while it edged towards catastrophe. Even so, the threat of destruction was more imminent than most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have sunk the aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important fleet. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly wonderful and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. In the years to come, though, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is because we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp